Higher Than Hope
by Tauri888
Summary: Missing Moment from DH. Set after Harry comes out of the forest. Chapter two from Ginnys POV.
1. Chapter 1

_**Higher Than Hope**_

_A little piece set just after Harry comes out of the forest and everyone see him "dead". I've read few of these and thought I'd give it a go._

_Disclaimer -Alas, these wonderful people are not mine. I will be forever grateful that JK Rowling lets us play in her sand box, no matter how messy we make it._

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Hermione's heart ached with the wretched sobs of loss.

Her family mourned openly for their loss, and she would never be able to express how much it meant for her to be included. The Weasleys were a part of her family now. They had welcomed her into their home, offered food, shelter and love during the summers gone by. Now she clung to Ron's arm and just cried, the last few hours finally catching up with her tired and battered body.

Fred was gone.

And there was nothing she could do.

Being the smartest witch of her age was frustrating when no book or tome could tell you how to deal with this situation and the raw, burning aching pain.

Ron shifted to her right, his face ashen under the dirt and blood stains. They would wash away, this moment never will. He scrubbed his face with the singed collar of his sleeve, smearing the grime that marred his face. He took in a deep ragged breath, suppressing the tears on the cusp of falling down his cheeks. Hermione prayed he wouldn't bottle up this hurt, shut her out when she was about to be let in.

"It's not over yet", he said softly, almost so he could not be heard, "He's still out there".

"Yes he is", she replies simply. She knew what else he was thinking. They still had to fight, but what if more of his family were hurt, killed. She shuddered involuntarily at the thought. They needed a plan. Her brain started clicking over, working out options, the dull oblivion of the last half hour replaced with a resilient focus. Her mind was focused on the task at hand, but who she really needed to talk to was "Harry?" she said, spinning around, dropping her grip on Ron's sleeve. He wasn't there. She hadn't even realised he had disappeared. Her heart constricted in her chest, pounding wildly. What if he was hit by a fleeing Death Eater? Maybe he just wanted to be alone.

What if he went in to the forest on his own?

"Ron, where's Harry?" she tried to keep the panic out of her voice but his brow creased in to a concerned frown upon looking at her face.

"He probably just wants to be alone for a minute", he said calmly "I know I would". He dropped his gaze to his feet scuffing his holey trainers across the dirt ridden floor.

"What if he went to the forest?"

"Why would he do that?"

"I don't know, do I?" her voice was rising as she was quickly losing patience with Ron's unhelpful attitude "Please, just help me find him"

"Hermione, he'll be fine. He probably just..."he trailed off as Neville wandered over to them, defiance shining in his eyes above the fatigued hue of his face.

"Neville, have you seen Harry?" Hermione blasted the question at him loudly earning her daggers of indignation from the rest of the mourning families and gaining looks of intrigue from the Weasleys.

"Erm, I", he stammered, startled momentarily by her demand "He spoke to me on the steps about forty minutes ago. Said we need to get rid of the snake"

Hermione's heart fell, he had gone out there alone, and she knew it.

"What's going on, what are you all talking about?" Ginny Weasley approached them. She was shaking slightly and her eyes were red from the crying, her fiery red hair dishevelled.

"We don't know where Harry is", Hermione stated

"Then why aren't we looking for him?" Ginny replied. Hermione admired Ginny's strength and courage at times like these. She should be with her family but instead she is trying to take care of a boy who left her behind for her own protection. She gave a small smile in reply and said "Come on". Turning around she raced out of the Great Hall, Ginny close behind her. In reality he could be anywhere. Hermione silently cursed the Marauders Map for teaching Harry all the secret passageways around the castle. She ran down the corridor to the left of the Great Hall around the corner and into a rather harassed looking Professor McGonagall her bun loose and untidy, her normally pristine robes dusty from the fallen debris.

"Miss Granger, what on earth are you doing barrelling around the corridors?"She admonished "Shouldn't you be inside with the others?"

"Yes, sorry Professor" she said. Even after almost a years absence, her Head of House could still command respect. "It's just that we can't find Harry"

"How long ago was he last seen?" McGonagall questioned

"Neville spoke to him about forty minutes ago on the steps to the entrance"

"Hermione" Ron bellowed as he caught up to her, "what the bloody hell do you think you're doing, charging off like that?"

"Trying to find Harry if you didn't notice" she shot back.

His heated reply was drowned out by Ginny shouting "Will you two just snog and get on with it!" She threw her arms up in the air, obvious frustration at years of watching her best friend and her brother dance around their little predicament "then we can just get on and save the..., wait" she caught the guilty looks and snatched glances between the two, and before she could launch into a hundred question Professor McGonagall interrupted.

"Miss Weasley there will be time for this later, I hope. But our first priority is to find Mr Potter, and hope he hasn't done anything rash"

But as she finished the sentence their worst fears were realised as the voice of Lord Voldemort echoed through the castle, his high and unnatural voice rattling through their heads. _"Harry Potter is dead. He was killed as he ran away, trying to save himself, while you lay down your lives for him. We bring you his body as proof your hero is gone"._The rest of Voldemorts words were lost in the numb shock that racked her brain. Her body swayed as if hit with a knockout blow. It can't be true, it can't just be over like this, and he has to be lying there can be no other explanation. People appeared in the entrance hall, faces full of shock and disbelief. Professor McGonagall strode forward, her cloak billowing behind her as she headed for the exit. Hermione felt Rons hand slip into her own and pull her forward, following McGonagall out of the castle, her scream carried through the sudden and unnatural silence.

And there it was, proof that he wasn't lying.

There was Harrys limp and lifeless body laying in Hagrids sobbing arms.

_No..._

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_It occurred to me as I finished this that it is very difficult to write missing moments because they vary hugely in content and style but are all essentially the same._

_So let me know what you think, should I do another chapter for the rest of the scene?_

_Tauri888_


	2. Chapter 2

_I thought I'd be brave and try adding a chapter to this story and do this from Ginnys point of view, see how it turns out._

_And there are direct quotes from Deathly Hallows throughout this chapter, so please don't sue me Jo!_

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He can't be dead.

He can't be, not now, not after they had come so far and are so close. They can't lose him as well.

Ginny could only focus on running down to the front lawn. Voldemorts word still echoed in her head, she couldn't shake them from her mind. _Harry Potter is dead._ Her heart pounded wildly in her chest, terrified it was counting down the beats till it shattered into a million pieces. If Harry was dead now, she would fight to the death, her own life meaning nothing now if he was not a part of it.

And there he was, in Hagrids shaking arms, illuminated by the light from the doors stretching long lines towards the dense dark forest. She pushed in between Ron and Hermione as they shouted for Harry too and that was when she felt it happen. She was sure her heart had stopped but the world was still moving around her. She cried his name, trying to shake off the arms holding her back. A crowd of fighters filled the space behind her, shouting and swearing at Voldemort and the flock of Death Eaters behind him.

"SILENCE!" He yelled, with a lazy wave of his wand, silencing the baying mob. As Nagini slithered across his shoulders, he stood with his arms out, lording over the assembled crowd. "It is over! Set him down, Hagrid, at my feet where he belongs!"

Ginny shrugged off her brothers arms and watched as he started pacing back and forth next to Harrys lifeless form. "You see? Harry Potter is dead! Do you understand now, deluded ones? He was nothing, ever, but a boy who relied on others to sacrifice themselves for him!"

"He beat you!" Ron shouted striding forward breaking the charm. His face was marred by fresh tears of grief, though he found strength for his voice to encourage the crowd to restart their abuse of the Death Eaters, Ginny herself lending her own voice. A loud bang echoed across the open field and the crowd was silenced once more. The crowd behind her rippled with movement as people shifted uncomfortably around, making space for others to look, to see if it was really true what was being said.

"That's odd, don't you think?" Luna whispered as she moved behind her "The charms not holding and it should, really."

Ginny understood, she could feel something was wrong. She could feel the charms hold over her, but was not ruled by it. She felt she could easily shrug off the silencing charm without problems.

"He was killed while trying to sneak out of the castle grounds," Voldemort continued as Ginny felt movement behind her again. Only this time it was Neville moving resiliently through the bodies, pushing them out of the way. His face was creased into an angry scowl and he clutched his wand tightly in his arm raising it as he surged past Ron, Hermione and herself at the front. He opened his mouth to curse his oppressor but with a deft swish of his wand another loud bang Voldermort disarmed him, pushing him in to a kneeling position not far from Harry.

"And who is this?" He hissed "Who has volunteered to demonstrate what happens to those who continue to fight when the battle is lost?"

Ginny shuddered as Bellatrix Lestranges cold maniacal laugh echoed across the night. The silence was terrible but for the cruel woman delighting in other peoples pain. Hermione twisted the wand she carried in her hand, and had a look of pure hatred that Ginny had never seen before. "It is Neville Longbottom my Lord! The boy who has been giving the Carrows so much trouble! The son of the Aurors, remember?"

"Ah, yes I remember" Voldemort spoke. Ginny watched as Neville stood defiantly in front of him, unarmed and unsafe, with nothing but his bare fist to defend himself. "But you are a pure-blood, aren't you, my brave boy?"

"So what if I am?" He answered boldly.

"You show spirit, and bravery, and you come from noble stock. You will make a very valuable Death Eater. We need your kind, Neville Longbottom."

"I'll join you when hell freezes over. Dumbledore's Army!" He shouted to the last of the protectors of Hogwarts. The crowd roared their response back, a cry of Dumbledore's Army filled the night sky.

"Very well. If that is your choice, Longbottom, we revert to the original plan. On your head be it" He all but whispered that last words, and he swiped his wand. Ginny watched as Neville flinched expecting pain, but none came. Whispers crept up as they waited for a curse, or a hex. Instead a movement through the sky caught their attention. It soared in to Voldemorts hands and she now recognised it as the Sorting Hat. The tattered old hat was shoved roughly on top of Nevilles head. He was pushed around roughly so that he faced his friends. He was terrified and shaking, but he stood with his chest out proud.

"There will be no more Sorting at Hogwarts School." Voldemort addressed them all, " There will be no more houses. The emblem, shield and colours of my noble ancestor Salazar Slytherin with suffice for everyone, won't they Neville Longbottom?"

Voldermort once more swiped his wand, turning Neville to a petrified statue. He stood rigid as a murmur of dissent spread through the crowd like a wave. It gathered strength as it travelled, scaring the Death Eaters into raising their own wands against the mob.

"Neville here is now going to demonstrate what happens to anyone foolish enough to continue to oppose me," He took several paces back towards his followers and then the Sorting Hat burst suddenly into bright orange and yellow flames, whipping around Nevilles head. His terrified and painful screams were awful to hear and Ron and Hermione were the first to surge forward, wands raised for attack. Ginny hear a deafening crack, as a tree was thrown clear of its roots, Grawp ambling forward from the forest crying "HAGGER!" More movement came from the forest as the herd of Centaurs stampeded forwards, weapons drawn, chopping down any foe that was stupid enough to stand still. There was chaos everywhere as spells and arrows flew in every direction, the fighters moving towards the entrance to the school. Ginny fired a hex into a group of Death Eaters before being pulled down by Bill, a streak of light whizzing above her head. "You need to find somewhere safe" he shouted.

"No!" Ginny screamed back.

That was when she heard it; Voldemort let out an angry cry and swept forward towards Neville. He stood with the ruby hilted sword of Gryffindor in his hand over the limp and headless body of Nagini. A shield charm shot up around Neville before Voldermort could strike him down.

"HARRY!" Hagrid roared "HARRY- WHERE'S HARRY?"

Ginny spun around at Hagrids call, scouring the ground. He wasn't there, she saw his body and now it wasn't there. Surely she couldn't hope that he was still alive, that would be beyond all that she knew. A flash of light sped across her vision and she quickly followed the source into the Great Hall, quickly followed by Luna and Hermione, swiping their wands wildly after their prey.

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_I was thinking of doing the final part of this chapter from Rons perspective._

_I also find writing Ginny is one of the most difficult characters so let me know what you think. This is my most read story too, so please review! I get very excited when I see a Review Alert in my email._

_Tauri888_


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